Truck



IINrTEn STATESN PATENT OFFICE..

HENRY A. SrEvENs oE Nonnisrown, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 322,499, dated July 21,1885.

Application filed May 12, 1885. (No model.)

`.To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, HENEYA. STEVENS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Norristown, in the county of Montgomery and State oflPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Trucks, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

My invention relates to an improvement in hand-trucks by which heavyweights or articles may be moved from place to place and raised to asufficient height to be loaded on a wagon; and it consists in theimproved construction and combination of devices that will be more fullyset forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a truckembodying my invention, and Fig. 2`is a top plan view of the same.

Al represents the frame, which is mounted upon the wheels B. From theupper side of the frame, near its rear end, projects vertical standardsC, and near the center of said fra-me project standards D, that arelower than the standards C. On the front upper sides ofthe horizontalbeams of the frame A are formed the ratchet-teeth E.

F represents an inclined platform, which is hinged, near its rear end,between the upper ends of the standard C, as at G, the lower end o1 thisplatform resting normally against the front end of the frame A, and atan angle of about forty-ve degrees. On the under side of the platform F,near its free end, are secured slides H.

I represents levers, which are connected together by the tie-bars K, soas to work in unison, and which are hinged or pivoted between the upperends of the standards D, and rest under the platform F. The upper rearends of these levers are bent to form the handles L.

M represents legs that are pivoted to the free end of the platform onopposite sides thereof, as at N, and have their free ends pointed, as atO, and adapted to engage with the rack-teeth E. On the outer sides ofthe lower ends of the levers I are journaled antifriction rollers l?,which work on the under sides of the slides H, and the upper bearingfaceof the platform is provided with` a series of rollers, R. From the freeends of the legs M pass cords or straps S, which pass over a sheave, T,that is secured under the short end of the platform, and from thissheave the inner ends of the cords or straps depend. Iinsf V areinserted in openings made in the free endsl of the platform.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The truck is run under thebale or box to be 6o. moved, so that the pins V are on the under side ofsaid bale or box.` The free end of the platform is then raised bybearing down upon the handles L to a sufficient height to raise the baleor box on the platform onto a delivery-wagon. The platform is supportedin its raised position by the legs M, which engage with the rack-teethE. The rollers R facilitate moving the box or bale from the platformonto the wagon* by reducing friction. 7o' When the, platform is to belowered, preparaf tory to loading on another box or bale, the legs M arerst caused to disengage from the racks E by pulling upon the inner endsof the cords or straps S. Y

I do not desire to limit myself to the preoise construction hereinbeforeshown and described, as it is evident that many modifications may bemade therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I am aware that prior to my invention handtrucks have been made withadjustable platforms of limited action, and this, broadly, I disclaim. yY

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination of thetruck A, having the standards C and D and the rack-teeth E, with theinclined platform F, pivoted between the standards C, the levers I,pivoted between the standards D, for raising the free end of theplatform, and the swinging legs M, pivoted to the platform for engagingwith the racks E when the platform is raised, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination of the ,truckrhaving the `standards C and D and therack-teeth E with the inclined platform F, pivoted between the standardsC and having the slides H under its free end, the levers I, pivotedbetweenthe standards D and having the rollers l? Working on the slidesH, and the swinging legs M,

roo

for engaging with the rack-teeth, substantially as described.

3. The combination 0f the truck A, having the standards C and D, withthe platform F, y

5 pivoted between the standards C, and the le- HENRY A' STEVENS' vers I,pvoted between the standards D, for W'itnesses: raising the free end ofthe'platform, substan- H. R. CONARD, tially as described. GEO. SCHALL.

In testimony that I elaim the foregoing as Y my own I have hereto axedmy signature in Io presence of two Witnesses.

